STARTUPS & INNOVATIONS

LAUNCH

GoVyrl Inc., an Irvine-based technology development firm for marketing and advertising, recently launched its first platform, Carro.

Brands use Carro to extract information from their subscriber lists, social media accounts and raw sales data, according to Chief Executive David Perry.

As one example, marketing teams can discover social media influencers that commonly buy and love their products. Armed with this information, brands provide product to influencers for them to review and share with their followers.

The company said Carro is already being used by over 7,600 brands, and has connected these companies with more than 3 million users who already use their products. The service is currently free to use, but the company said it will be releasing new paid features in the future.

Perry said that traditional marketing often causes short term pulses of interest, which makes tracking return on investment difficult. Using Carro’s technologies, however, brands can finally achieve “always-on” marketing and real-time, trackable ROI.

Perry and President Jason Goldberg met while mentoring entrepreneurial students in San Juan Capistrano and launched the company in 2017.

Prior to that, Perry was co-founder and CEO of streaming upstart Aliso Viejo-based Gaikai, which was acquired by Sony Computer Entertainment for $380 million in 2012.

Vyrl recently raised a $6.2 million Series A round, bringing its total funding amount to just over $10.6 million. Local investors include the Cove Fund, Peter Ueberroth’s Contrarian Group and K5 Ventures, in addition to Alpha Edison in Los Angeles and Chicago’s Corazon Group. OC chapter members from the Tech Coast Angels also contributed to early rounds. 

Vyrl has 20 employees based at the Irvine Spectrum, and is currently hiring.

Plant-based meat maker Before the Butcher, with executive offices in Irvine and manufacturing operations in San Diego, recently began selling its retail products in more than 320 stores including Albertsons, Vons and Pavilions. Expansion to smaller retailers such as Mariano’s and Metro Markets is close behind.

Before the Butcher products are now available in more than 600 stores nationwide, and that number is expected to double in the next few months, according to self-proclaimed “Presiplant” Danny O’Malley.

“Our retail footprint is expanding rapidly because retailers recognize the value of offering a plant-based meat brand with four different choices to suit different consumer tastes and provide menu variety,” O’Malley said.

The company’s Uncut retail collection includes a wide range of burger and sausage products; two burger patties retail for $5.49.

The company also provides 12 plant-based foodservice products mimicking ground meat, pulled pork and chicken chunks to more than 1,500 restaurants and 30 school districts.

Gregg and Jeff Hamann, who own San Diego-based Jenson Meat Co., acquired a controlling interest in Before the Butcher in May, giving the upstart a $25 million line of credit and access to a 90,000-square-foot production and storage facility.

Before the Butcher was profiled in the Sept. 23 print edition of the Business Journal.

FINANCING

The developer of an electric fin for surfboards, aimed at giving surfers a longer session in the water, has raised just over $200,000 from about 900 backers on Kickstarter.

The Huntington Beach-based company, Boost Surfing, expects to deliver its first batch of fins in May 2020.

The electric fin attaches via adapter, like a regular fin, and helps users paddle faster and longer with 20 pounds of motor thrust and speed up to 11 miles per hour. It is compatible with shortboards, longboards and stand-up paddleboards, and counts four hours of battery life.

Chief Executive Dmitri Kozhevnikov said that with the fin, “all surfers, regardless of age, experience or paddling strength, have the power to enjoy this incredible sport to the fullest.”

The company was founded by Kozhevnikov and Chief Technology Officer Aleksei Ostanin in December 2018. The founders have completed eight rounds of crowdfunding and added 11 employees to the team since then.

WurkNow Inc., a software maker for blue-collar workforce management in Irvine, recently closed a Series A round of funding that will be used for new hires and portfolio expansion. The funding size and investors were undisclosed.

“We believe in utilizing the best talent and technology to build our staffing solution modules” said Chief Executive Sammy Singh. “Completing this funding round with the support of several key investors is clear confirmation of our vision and technology. It’s a great milestone to achieve and it makes our team even more determined to provide for the staffing agencies of the future.”

WurkNow’s software includes modules for staffing, onboarding, human resources, timekeeping and compliance. The compliance module is built on blockchain technology, which creates a trail of records to ensure transparency.

The company is focused on adding a payroll component in 2020, company officials added. 

Singh and Chief Technology Officer TJ Sehmi founded the company in 2017, and previously raised two seed rounds.

WurkNow has about 16 employees between its Irvine, Fullerton and Riverside offices.

OFFICE SPACE

Medical device maker Sofwave Medical Ltd. has established its headquarters at 2492 Walnut Ave. in Tustin, with plans to add about 40 local employees this year. 

The company also has R&D and corporate office space in Yoqneam, Israel, and will split manufacturing between its two facilities. 

The Sofwave device, which received FDA approval in September and began selling in December, uses ultrasound technology to penetrate the skin at the depth of about 1.5 millimeters and smooth out wrinkles and lines without damaging underlying tissue or structures. 

Treatment takes about 30 minutes per session and 88% of patients see results in as little as eight weeks, according to a recent study.

The technology was developed over four years, with a team led by Dr. Shimon Eckhouse, chairman of Sofwave. Eckhouse was also the co-founder of Syneron-Candela Ltd., which went public before going to private in 2017, and Ventor Medical Technologies Ltd., which was purchased by Medtronic in 2009.

Sofwave added Chief Executive Louis Scafuri, former CEO of Syneron-Candela, and raised an $8.4 million Series A round earlier last year to spur commercialization and growth. Eckhouse and Tel Aviv, Israel-based venture firm XT Hi-Tech led the round.